THE WORLD'S BIRDS. m 



young differ noticeably. The typical species are easy 

 birds to keep in confinement. 



Orioles {Oriolince) are birds with strong bills of 

 medium length, and short legs. They are commonly 

 coloured richly with yellow, red, or olive-green com- 

 bined with black, and are rather large, equalling or 

 exceeding a Thrush. They inhabit most of the Old 

 World — the so-cahed Orioles of America being members 

 of the Troupial family (p. 120)— and build beautiful 

 hammock-like nests slung in the forks of branches ; 

 they keep very much to the trees, hardly ever coming 

 to the ground, and feeding on fruit and insects. 

 The common Indian [Oriolus melanocephalus) and 

 African species (0. larvatus) have black heads, whereas 

 that of Europe (0. galhula) and its near relative 

 in the East (0. knndoo) have the head yellow, though 

 there is black on the wings and tail as in the first two. 

 Orioles are not much kept in captivity, being rather 

 difficult subjects. 



Pittas {PittincB), which are widely diffused through 

 the warm regions of the Old World, have rather 

 strong bills, short tails and wings, and the back of the 

 shanks with a smooth uniform covering. The latter 

 point and their very gay colouring will in most cases 

 distinguish them from some short-tailed Ant-Birds 

 (FormicariidcB). They are insectivorous, and build 

 domed nests. They are often called Ant-Thrushes, 

 but, unlike most of the families with smooth hinder 

 shanks, differ anatomically from the thrushes, and do 

 not seem to feed especially on ants. They live chiefly 

 on the ground, though often perching, and hop rapidly, 

 not running like most ground-birds. Being haunters 

 of forests, they are not well known as a rule ; the most 

 familiar being the Bengal Pitta, or " Nowrung " (nine 

 colours) [Pitta brachyura), green above, with head 

 streaked drab and black, and patches of brilliant sky- 

 blue on the wings and at base of tail. Below it is buff 



